FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
January 22, 2023
Contact:
Liza Ameen, lameen@ajsocal.org, 213.241.0258
Nation’s Largest Asian American Civil Rights Org Responds to Monterey Park, CA Mass Shooting
LOS ANGELES, CA — Asian Americans Advancing Justice Southern California (AJSOCAL), the nation’s largest civil and legal rights organization, is responding to the massacre in Monterey Park, California.
Connie Chung Joe, CEO, AJSOCAL says today, “Our hearts are shattered by the mass shooting last night in Monterey Park around the Lunar New Year Festival. What should have been a joyous weekend is now a tragic loss of lives at one of the most important and joyous holidays for our community.
We grieve for the unspeakable losses of families of those killed. And we pray for the victims who are injured. To them and all the community members and allies who were at the festival during the bloodshed, we know there is terrible trauma. To all our community members, although we don’t know yet the cause of the shootings, we join you in your grief and pain that this attack has happened in one of our major Asian American neighborhoods, so close to an event that celebrates our community.
As the day unfolds and you don’t know where to turn, please know you can reach someone 24/7 at LA vs Hate by calling 211 and us here at AJSOCAL for help in seven Asian languages.
To the leaders of our nation, despite repeated violence and harm that has been happening to Asian Americans, we are strong and resilient and will once again rise from this. But we implore you to act against gun violence and to keep us and all communities safe from these senseless massacres.”
CALL FOR SAFE CONFIDENTIAL HELP IN ASIAN LANGUAGES
ENGLISH: 888.349.9695
普通话/广东话: 800.520.2356
한국어: 800.867.3640
TAGALOG: 855.300.2552
हिन्दी: 855.971.2552
ภาษาไทย: 800.914.9583
TIẾNG VIỆT: 714.477.2958
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Asian Americans Advancing Justice Southern California (AJSOCAL) is the nation’s largest legal and civil rights organization for Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders (AANHPI). Founded in 1983, AJSOCAL serves more than 15,000 individuals and organizations every year. Through direct services, impact litigation, policy advocacy, leadership development, and capacity building, AJSOCAL focuses on the most vulnerable members of AANHPI communities while building a strong voice for civil rights and social justice. More info is at AJSOCAL.org.